Antibiotic pholipomycin and its preparation

ABSTRACT

Antibiotic substance named &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;Pholipomycin&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; which is useful as a growth promoting agent for domestic animals, poultries and the like and produced by the cultivation of a new microorganism, Streptomyces lividoclavatus strain No. 3176, NRRL 8022.

United States Patent [191 Arai et al.

[4 1 Oct. 14, 1975 ANTIBIOTIC PHOLIPOMYCIN AND ITS PREPARATION [75] Inventors: Mamoru Arai; Akio Torikata;

Hisayoshi Fukatsu; Noritoshi Kitano; Toshiaki Matsuzawa, all of Tokyo, Japan I [73] Assignee: Sankyo Company Limited, Tokyo,

Japan [22] Filed: June 18, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 480,514

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 30, 1973 Japan 48-73807 52 U.S.Cl .[424/118; 195/80 51 Int. cm ..A61K 35/00 Primary Examiner-Jerome D. Goldberg Attorney, Agent, or FirmFlynn & Frishauf [57] ABSTRACT Antibiotic substance named Pholipomycin which is useful as a growth promoting agent for domestic animals, poultries and the like and produced by the cultivation of a new microorganism, Streptomyces lividoclavatus strain No. 3176, NRRL 8022.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 14,1975 Sheet10f2 3,912,811

FIG.1

WAVELENGTH my com? w Emmi-42 mw oooq lo EONVLLINSNVHL ANTIBIOTlC PHOLIPOMYCIN AND ITS PREPARATION in the practical aspect of food hygiene, since it has been found to be less adsorbed in intestines when orally administered.

It is, accordingly, a primary object of this invention l t to anew antiobiotic substance 5 to provide a new antibiotic substance, pholipomycin,

a prtiie s s f or ilie p io ii uction thereof and its use as a wh'lchlls useful as a growth promoting aagem for the anima s. g 222325 i i zg i ggg m a new amibi Another object of this invention is to provide a proo n i Phofi om Gin a recess for cess for the production of phohpomycm by the use of 0 S 8 p y p 10 a newly discovered microorgamsm, Streptomyces the production thereof by the use of a new strain belividoclavatus No 3176 i z ggi f g z fz sgggssz i ig s gz fg Still another object of this invention is to provide a g p l g and et animals new use of the present antibiotic substance as a growth mes 1c antma s on W h ve fo uEd that a ne w antibiotic substance promoting agent for the ammals' a h a due d ultured broth of Str l5 Other ob ects and advantages of this invention Wlll be p o y pro e a c p obvious from the following detailed description. tomyces l vidoclavatus strain No. 3176 which was rso- Morphological Characteristics of the above lated from a soflsampile collectd yo l Tochlgl pholipomycin-producing strain No. 3176 are as fol- Prefecture, Japan and also that this new antibiotic sublows stancefhows'a highly potent growth Rmmcting fi 1. When observed under a microscope,- aerial mycei g as domestic animals poulmes lium is well-branched and long aerial hyphae expe'ammas an e l tends Aerial h hae is s m odiall branched but Heretofore, some antibiotic substances such as chlono Spirals and Zg a s are oybserved S pores ramphenicol, aureomycin and the like have been adare Spherical to elliptical and 0 6 O 8 X 0 8 1 ministered to the animals in order to accomplish pro M in Size Spore Surface is Smooth. spore chains are 2:21:22: 2.113s? 2213:212 ml: w 50 t I b short and clavate side ranch w ie is orme neously with improvement in fattening, growth promoi 2 3 Spores. No flagellate Spore and sporam tion and feed conversion rate. However, these prior andium are formed and sporophores are on aerial y tibiotic substances have been found to have some discelium. advantages that h y s 8 1 22 g gi t i prod 2. Results obtained in the culture on various culture sue as eggs meats an t e l e an a meteor media (observation made after a 2-week cultival l m reslsttant I; g ggifizgfgi s z gfigiggz tion at 28C unless otherwise stated) are as shown suc circums anc eve in Table 1' ble of being less adsorbed from the gastrointestinal Table 1 Medium Growth Aerial Substrate Reverse Soluble mycelium myeelium pigment Sucrose- Moderate Scant, Scant. White None nitrate -white white agar Glucose- Good Scant, Scant. Bluish asparagine bluish white gray do agar gray Glycerol- Good Seam, Abundant. Dull J asparagine bluish dull orange do agar gray orange Inorganic Good Moderatev Moderate, Pale salts- Bluish Pale yellowish do starch gray yellowish brown agar V brown Tyrosine Good Scant, Moderate. Light Scant, agar bluish light brownish brownish gray brownish gray gray y Nutrient Good Scant, Scant. Pale agar white pale yellowish None medium yellowish brown brown Yeast Abundant Abundant, Abundant, Light extractbluish light brownish do malt gray brownish gray extract gray agar Oatmeal Moderate Moderate, Abundant, Pale agar pale pale brown do yellowish yellowish orange orange tract of animals has been earnestly desired in the art. The present antibiotic substance is extremely useful 3. Physiological properties of the strain No. 3176 are shown in Table 2.

Milk peptonization: Melanin formation:

25C.. (PH 6.4) (in tyrosine-agar medium) (in peptone-yeast extract iron agar medium (in Triptone-Bacto"*-yeast extract broth) Nitrate reduction:

Trade name. Difco Laboratories. USA.

4 4. Carbon source utilization pattern of the strain No. 3176 on Pridham-Gottliebs agar medium is shown in Table 3.

Table 3 L-arabinose lnositol -H- D-xylosc Lrhamnose +4- D-glucose 4+ Raffinose -ll- D-fructosc -H- D-mannitol f Sucrose H From the summary of the above properties, the strain No. 3176 belongs to the genus Streptomyces, its aerial mycelium is sympodially branched and bluish gray on most of the media. Also, its spores are spherical to elliptical and its spore surface is smooth. In particular, its

most marked characteristics are in that it has spore chain with short and clavate side branches which form 2-3 spores.

Searching the known strains having the above propcan be clearly concluded that the present strain is dis-.

tinctly different from St. clavuligerus.

From the above, the strain No. 3176 has been identified as a new species and named Streptomyces lividoclavatus strain No. 3176. The strain No. 3176 has been deposited under an accession No. 2101 with Technical Research Institute of Microbial Industry, Agency of Industrial Science & Technology, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Japan, and also as NRRL- 8022 in the Northern Regional Research Laboratory, Northern Central Region, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, at Peoria, Illinois, U.S.A. Although has been explained the strain No. 3176 in the foregoing, it is well-known that various properties of Streptomyces are not definite, but may easily be varied naturally and artificially. The strains which may be employed in this invention include all of the strains which belong to the genus Streptomyces and are capable of producing pholipomycin.

Cultivation in the process of this invention may be carried out according to the method generally employed for Streptomyces. Shaken culture or submerged culture in a liquid medium is preferable.

As medium components may be employed any of the well-known nutrient materials for Streptomyces. For instance, as an assimilable carbon source, glucose,

glycerol, maltose, dextrin, starch, lactose, sucrose, molasses, soybean oil, cotton seed oil, etc. and, as an assimilable nitrogen source, soybean meal, peanut meal, cotton seed meal, fish meal, corn steep liquor, peptone, meat extract, yeast, yeast extract, sodium nitrate, ammonium-nitrate, ammonium sulfate, etc. may be used. And, sodium chloride, phosphates, calcium carbonate, etc. may be used as an inorganic salt. A minor amount of a metal salt may also be added, if necessary.

In carrying out liquid cultivation with aeration and agitation, an anti-foaming agent, e.g., silicone oil, vegetable oils, surfactants, etc. may be suitably employed.

The pH of the medium may be suitably within or ar0und neutral range and cultivation temperature may be usually of 25 30C., in particular about 27C. being preferred.

Change with time lapse in the activity of an antibiotic substance pholipomycin, which is being produced in the cultured broth as the cultivation proceeds, can be determined by a wellknown cylinder-plate test method using Staphylococcus aureus 209P.as a test microorganism. Usually, the maximum production of pholipomycin may be accomplished by cultivation for about 96 240 hours.

Pholipomycin is predominantly in a solid portion of the cultured broth.

Pholipomycin may be recovered from the cultured I broth by various methods whichare well-known in the art for the recovery of antibiotic substances. For instance, after completion of the cultivation, the cultured broth is made acidic by the addition of a suitable acid, filtered with a filter aid such as diatomaceous earth and the like to collect mycelium and other solid mass containing diatomaceous earth in which pholipolycin is involved due to its rather sparing solubility in water under acidic condition, and the so gathered mass is exthrough a layer of an anion exchange resin so that pholipomycin is adsorbed thereupon because of its inherent acidity, and then the adsorbed pholipomycin may be eluted with a suitable eluant. In some cases, the

extract may be passed through a layer of a cation ex-,

change resin to remove basic impurities.

As examples of the anion exchange resins may be strongly basic anion exchange resins, e.g., Dowex I X I (manufactured by Dow Chemical Co.), etc., but

weakly basic anion exchange resins, e.g., Duolite A-2 (manufactured by Diamond-Alkali Co., U.S.A.) may be preferably employed.

Examples of the cation exchange resin which may be employed are strongly acidic cation exchange resins, e.g., Dowex 50W X 4 (manufactured by Dow Chemical Co., U.S.A.), Amberlite IR-l (manufactured by Rohm & Haas Co., U.S.A.) and the like.

And, a chromatography for further purification of pholipomycin may be effected by the use of silica gel, Avicel (microcrystalline form of cellulose, available from Asahi Kasei Kogyo K.K., Japan), diethylaminoethyl celluloose (an anion exchange cellulose, available from Serva Feinbiochemica, West Germany) and the like.

Further, pholipomycin may be purified by the use of such procedures as dialysis for removing low molecular impurities in view of high molecular substance pholipomycin itself, gel filtration with Sephadex G-50 (available from Pharmacia Fine Chemical A.B., Sweden) and the like.

Then, the aqueous solution containing the pholipomycin so extracted and purified is concentrated and freeze-dried or to the solution is added a water-miscible organic solvent such as acetone and the like to precipitate the desired antibiotic substance, thereby yielding the pure pholipomycin as white powders. Physicochemical properties of pholipomycin are given below.

1. Appearance White powder 2. Melting point No clear melting point with gradual brown coloring at 250C. or higher 3. Elementary analysis C 50.15 H z 7.14 N

4. Molecular weight 5100; found by a gel-filtration method using Sephadex G-l00 in a 0.05 M phosphate buffer solution having pH 7.0. I

5. Specific rotation [01],, 6.0 (C 1 cm.,

H O) I 6. Ultraviolet absorption spectrum As shown in FIG. 1 values of maximum absorption positions and of E 0,, are as shown in Table 4.

Table 4 Solvent Absorption Max. B, cm,

H 0 257 I42 0.1N HCI 245 93 0.lN NaOH 258 I44 dine, ninhydrin reaction is changed positive.

11. Stability Its aqueous solution is extremely stable at pH 4 '10. 100 90 and 90 of its activity remain unchanged at pH 6 8, even pH 4 and 10, respectively, after heating its aqueous solution of 200 ug/ml. of pholipomycin at 60C. for 30 minutes.

12. Thin-layer chromatography By a thin layer chromatography (ascending method) using Cellulose.Chromatogram Sheet 6065 (manufactured by Eastman Kodak Co., U.S.A.) and Silica Gel (Sheet) Chromatogram 6060 (manufactured by Eastman Kodak Co.), Rf values are 0.74 and 0.25 in n-propanol-2NNH OH (7:3) respectively. As a detection method is employed a bioautography with Staphylococcus aureus 209P or a UV. absorption method.

Biological activities of pholipomycin are set forth below.

l. Antimicrobial spectrum Minimal inhibitory concentrations of various microorganisms are as shown in Table 5.

Table 5 Test organism Medium A Medium B Staphylococcus aureus 209P JC-Z 0.39 0.09 S. aureus 56 (multi-rcsistant) 0.39 0.19 S. aureus I93 (muIti-resistant) 0.39 0.l9

50 0.09 Bacillus subtilis PCI 2 -l9 Sarcina [urea PCI 1001 I00 I25 Curynebaclerium xerosis 858-3 100 Escherichia coli NIHJ .IC-Z 50 25 E. coli K-l2 l2.5 12.5 E. coli (ST resistant) 25 25 Pseudomonas aeruginosa B-l-l 3.12 0.78 P. Sp. SC-8328 I00 25 Proteus vulgaris B-30-8 0.78 3.l2 Klebsiella pneumonia PCI 602 25 l2.5 Aeromonas liquefacieus Y-62 0.78 0.39 Mycabacterium smegmalis ATC C 607 50 Medium C Candida albicans YU I200 100 Saccharomyccs ccrevisiac ATCC 9763 l00 Tichophyton menlagmphyres F 63-9 100 Fusarium moniliforme IAM 5062 l00 Piricularia oryzac 1AM 5087 l00 Medium A: Nutrient agar with l glycerol Medium B: Heart infusion agar Medium C: Sabouraud dextrose agar Cultivation: MIC was determined after incubation for 24 hours at 37C. (for 48 hours with regard to the Mycobacterium smegmatis) for bacteria and for 48 hours at 28C. for yeasts and fungi.

2. Toxicity LD of pholipomycin to mice by intravenous injection is 600 800 mg./kg. No abnormal phenomenon in a fish toxicity test with killifish has been observed in a bath of 200 ppm. of pholipomy- 3. Protective activity Pholipomycin has been observed to show an effectiveness in a protection test on mouse by Staphylococcus aureus. More specifically, RFVL strain mice of each average body weight of about 20 g., each group consisting of 5 animals, were inoculated with l X 10" cells 'per mouse of Staphylococcus aureus No. 42, a multiresistant strain, and pholipomycin was subcutaneously administered in its sterile sodium chloride solution at 50, 100 and 200 mg./kg. two times, namely, immediately after the inoculation and after 4 hours from the inoculation. The numbers of surviving mice were 0, l and 5, respectively.

As is apparent from the above items (1) through (3),

pholipomycin has a strong antibacterial activity against gram-positive and -negative bacteria and, in particular,

it is highly effective against various resistant microorganisms and extremely low in its toxicity. Accordingly, the present antibiotic is also useful as a medicaments for human beings.

From the results of our studies on known antibiotic substances having the above-described physicochemical and biological properties, it has been confirmed that the pholipomycin of this invention is believed to be closely similar to those antibiotics substances such as macarbomycin, diumycin A and moenomycin.

However, it should be noted that the present pholipomycin is different from the above-listed known antibiotic substances with regard to the points as indicated below.

1.,Physico-chemical properties Comparison of Physico-chemical properties of pholipomycin and the above-listed known antibiotic substances are summarized in Table 6.

mentionedprasinomycins A,. B and C, moenomycins E, F, G and 1-1, diumycin B, l9402RP, 8036RP, 11837RP and the like. These antibiotics are, however, distinctly different from pholipomycin in many aspects, more illustratively, the prasinomycins being soluble in chloroform, the l9402RP containing sulfur atom and others havingno maximum absorptions in their UV spectra,- which are distinctly differentfrom pholipomycin.

2. Comparison tests of antibacterial activity Activity of each antibiotic was tested by cylinderplate method using 12.5, 50 and 200 pig/ml of the antibiotic in M/ 15, pH 7.0 phosphate buffer. Percent activity was calculated using pholipomycin as a stan dard antibiotic. The results are summarized in Table 7.

As is apparent from the Table 7, pholipomycin is different from the above-mentioned antibiotic substances, whichhave similar physico-chemical properties, in antibacterial activity and spectrum. Especially, pholipo- Table 6 Moenomycin Properties Pholipomycin A C D Macarbo Diumycin mycin A m.p. (dcc.) 250C 190 200 25 1 257 Analysis -NH -Na -NH. .Na

C 50.15% 48.6% 49.1% 43.7% 47.35% 48.65%" H 7.14 7.2 7.4 7.1 7.25 5.42 N 5.48 5.3 5.3 5.7 4.90 4.00 P 2.33 1.8 1.7 1.9 2.12 1.91 Empirical 50 s5 C70H121N8 rs ias 1 cs 88 12' formula H85 lll 40 42 H125 l4 1 H33 107 N5 N5 BO'35 P NG'7O-H'GHP 33 tl? UV y 1 rm H 0 257 142 258 106 258 0.1N KOH 0.1N NaOl-l 258 144 258 106 259 120 257 120 0.1N HCl 245 93 246 78 246 246 78 247 [01],, +6.0(C=l +15(C=l +8.0(C=l H O) McOl-l) H O) Glucosamine Quinovo samine Glucose TLC 0.53 0.61 0.73 0.43 0. 3

* Et0H-concNH=-H,0 (811:1) Four times multi-dcvclopment on Silica gel chromatogram sheet 6060.

Table 7 Pholipomycin Macarbo- Diumycin Moenomycin mycin S. auneus 209P 164 99.3 131 E. Coli NlHJ 100 16.2 11.6 37.0 P. aemginosa 8-1-1 100 35.7 27.7 48.3

As is apparent from the Table 6, pholipomycin is distinctly different from the macarbomycin, diumycin A and moenomycins in that pholipomycin does not contain glucose as its constitutive sugar but all the known antibiotics contain glucose as their constitutive sugars, while it is similar to the known antibiotics in other aspects. Analysis of constitutive sugars is effected by hydrolysis of each antibiotic substance in 2N hydrochloric acid at C. for 3 hours and subsequent paper chromatography of the hydrolysate (n-butanolpyridine-water, 6:4:3, descending method for 20 hours).

As the other known antibiotic substances which are believed to be similar to the present pholipomycin, are

l. Moeno mycins A, C, D, E, F, G and H: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy-1965, 734 736, 737 742 (1966) and Journal of Antibiotics, 22, 12, 597 602 (19 69). 1 f

2. Macarbomycin: Journal of Antibiotics, 23, 1, 48 r 50 (1970). i v 3. Diumycins A and B: Journal of Antibiotics, 22, 10,

490 493 (1969). 4. 19402RP: Dutch Laid Open Pat. No. 6802093 (1968). 5. Prasinomycins A, B and C; Nature, 213, 1092 1094 (1967). 6. 8036RP; South African Pat. No. 65/6204 (1966). 7. 11837RP; Abstract, The 9th International Congress for Microbiology, 165 (1966'). l The production of pholipomycin will be fully disclosed hereunder by way of some representative examples. The production maybe advantageously effected by various procedure depending upon the nature and properties as clarified according to thisinvention. Accordingly, the process for the production of pholipomycin is not restricted to the examples as given herein but the present process is contemplated to include all of those processes which enable to produce, extract and purify pholipomycin by the use of a pholipomycinproducing microorganism belonging to the genus Streptomyces and well-known procedures.

EXAMPLE 1.

A culture medium having the following composition was employed.

Glucose 2.0 Meat extract 0.5 7r

Starch 1.0 Calcium carbonate 0.3 Bakcrs yeast 0.9 Sodium chloride 0.5

Polypepton 0.5

With 30 1 each of the seed culture of strain 3176 which was cultivated on the above medium at 28C. for 24 hours in a 100 1 -volume tank, were inoculated two 600 1 -volume fermentation tanks containing 300 l of the above medium (pH 7.2 before sterilization). Cultivation was effected at a temperature of 28 1C., 150 rpm. and aeration of 300 l/minute. After 114 hours was obtained the maximum production of pholipomy- 6111,

640 l of the cultured broth so obtained was adjusted to pH 4.0 with sulfuric acid, 40 kg. of diatomaceous earth was added thereto and filtration was made by means of a filter press.

To the mycelial cake with the diatomaceous earth was added 300 l of anhydrous acetone to get an acetone concentration of 80 thereby pholipomycin being extracted. The extraction residue separated by a filter press was again extracted with 300 l of 80 aqueous acetone. 5 80 l of the combined extracts (a pholipomycin content of 57.8 g.) was concentrated under reduced pressure to 60 l and, after distilling off the acetone, the residue was adjusted to pH 2.5 with sulfuric acid and extracted twice with 35 1 portion of n-butanol.

The extract (56 l) was extracted twice with 37.5 1 portion of 0.1 N aqueous ammonia, whereupon pholipomycin was transferred into the aqueous ammonia phase.

The extract (79 1) so obtained was. concentrated under reduced pressure to 1.19 l (a content of pholipomycin 22.6 g., yield 39,1

The concentrate so obtained was adsorbed on a column packed with 3 l of Duolite A-2 (OH form) and,

after washing with 6 l of water, pholipomycin was eluted with 0.1 N aqueous ammonia.

25.5 1 of the so obtained active eluate was concentrated under reduced pressure to 1.62 1., which was then freeze-dried toobtain 26.2 g. of pholipomycin as crude powders. Purity 50.0 yield 22.6

EXAMPLE 2 A culture medium having the following composition was employed.

Glucose 4 FeSO .7H,O 0.002 "/1 Meat extract 0.2 71 CuSO 7H O 0.002 7r Soybean meal 1.5 /1 AlCl .6H O 0.002 7r NaH PQ, 0.05 7: Na MoO .2H O 0.002 "/1 MgSO .7H O 0.01 7! C0SO .7H O 0.002 "/1 MnSO .7H O 0.00271 Cotton seed 0.1 7r

oil ZnSO .7H O 0.002 71 Adckanol 0.002 71 LG126 (Asahi dcnka Kogyo K.K.. antifoaming agent) 15 l of the above medium (pH 7.0 before sterilization) was charged into a 30 -volume jar fermenter. the content was sterilized at C. for 30 minutes and cooled. Then, 50 ml. of the seed culture of strain 3175, which was cultured on the same medium as above by charging 500 ml. of the medium into a 2 l -volume Erlenmyer flask and cultivating on a rotary shaker at 28C. for 72 hours, was inoculated into the fermenter and cultivation was effected at a temperature of 28 1 1C., aeration of 20 l/minute, rpm. and inner pressure 1.1 kg./cm After 240 hours, was obtained the maximum production of pholipomycin of #g/ml.

The cultured broth of 40 1 combined from 3 jar fermenters was filtered with diatomaceous earth as a filter aid and washed with an equal volume of water.

8.5 kg. of the mycelial cake with diatomaceous earth was extracted three times with 75 aqueous methanol to obtain 36 l of extract.

The extract was passed through a column packed with 1.9 l of Dowex 50W4 (H form), which was then washed with 70 aqueous methanol to obtain a total volume of 40 l of the combined fluid. The fluid so obtained was passed through a column packed with 2 l of Duolite A-2 (acetic acid form), thereby pholipomycin being adsorbed thereon. The column was washed with 2 l of 70 aqueous methanol and subsequently with 2 l of water and then eluted with 0.5 N aqueous ammonia.

2.49 l of the active eluate (activity yield of 58.5 was concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure and insoluble impurities were removed by the addition of methanol.

84 ml. of the fractions soluble in methanol was added dropwise to 2 l of acetone to precipitate pholipomycin.

The so obtained precipitate was collected and dried under reduced pressure to give 12.7 g. of pholipomycin as crude powders (Purity 27.1%, Yield 56.0%).

The crude powder was dissolved in methanol, the resulting solution was adsorbed on a column packed with ml. of Wakogel C-200 (Silica gel, manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries Ltd., Japan) in chloroform-methanol (6:4). Impurities were removed with 3 l of chloroform-methanol (6:4) and pholipomycin was eluted with chloroform-methanol (5:5).

The activity of the eluates was monitored by a thinlayer chromatography to collect 4 l of those fractions having less impurities, which were concentrated to dryness to give 2.07 g. of pholipomycin (purity 75.8%,

yeild 25.6%) as crude powders.

The crude powders so obtained were dissolved in 9 m1. of water and adsorbed on a column of 200 ml. of DEAE cellulose (OI-1 form). After washing with 1 1 of aqueous ammonia at pH 9, elution was made with 0.01 N aqueous ammonia to collect 1.06 l of those active fractions, each providing a single spot on a thin-layer chromatography. The collected fractions were concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure to give 955 mg. of pholipomycin with a purity of 97.0%. Yield 15.1%. The product was dissolved in ml. of methanol with heating and the resulting solution was cooled to separate the precipitate, which was then dried to give 474 mg. of pure pholipomycin. Yield 7.7

The pholipomycin which may be produced by the above-mentioned process is usable as growth promoting agents for animals.

As is explained hereinabove, pholipomycin has a potent antibacterial activity against bacteria and a utility for prevention and treatment of animal diseases caused by such bacteria. Additionally and more significantly, pholipomycin may be also effectively employed for the purpose of growth promotion of various animals. More specifically, where pholipomycin is orally administered to animals, growth of animals may be highly promoted, while its extremely low adsorption from the gastrointestinal tract and small retention of animal tissues are observed. This fact is believed to indicate almost complete lack of of pholipomycin in animal products such as eggs, meats and the like, which can provide a great advantage in an aspect of food hygiene.

The expression Growth promotion of animals means increase in body weight gain, improvement in food conversion rate, increase in egg-laying performance and the like.

The animals which are contemplated to be included herein and applicable with the present pholipomycin, are, for instance, domestic animals such as cattle, horse, swine, sheep, goat and the like; poultry such as fowl, turkey, duck and the like; pet animals such as dog, eat, small bird and the like.

For administration of pholipomycin may be preferably employed an oral route, but pholipomycin may also be administered in admixture with a feed or a drinkable water. Most preferably, pholipomycin may be administered in admixture with a feed. Where pholipomycin is to be employed as a feed additive, it may be admixed into a feed alone or in combination with an excipient with low toxicity; a nutrient supplement such as vita mins, minerals, amino acids and the like; an antibiotic substance such as macarbomycin, moenomycins and the like; an anticoccidial agent such as Beclothiamine, Amprolium, Buquinolate, Clopidol (3,5-dichloro-2,6- dimethyl-4-pyridinol) and the like; and an enzyme such as lysozyme and the like.

As a growth promoting agent, pholipomycin may be employed not only in a purified form but also as a cultured mycelium itself or in a crude form obtained at any optional stage during the extraction and purification thereof.

The amount of pholipomycin to be incorporated may be usually and preferably of 0.1 to 10 ppm (based on its activity) with respect to the feed, water or other bases to be added and the above-mentioned amount could not adversely affect the animals after a prolonged period of administration.

Then, a prominent growth promoting effect of this invention will be more fully illustrated by way of the following examples.

EXAMPLE 3 Effect on growth of broilers (Floor-pen test) 1. Chickens: Male and female small chickens of a broiler strain (GOTO'606), each group consisting of 15 chicken, were employed. After hatching, individual chicken with wing band was weighed.

2. Feeds: The main compositions of the feed used are summarized in Table 8. It is to be noted that the feed contains neither growth promoting agents nor antibiotic substances.

Table 8 Yellow corn 56.98 Fish mcal 10.00 "/2 Soybean meal 24.00 7: Tallow fancy 5.00 Alfalfa meal 1.00 Minera1s* 2.17 Vitamin A 200001U/Kg Vitamin D3 40001CU/Kg Vitamin E 1001U/Kg Other vitamins 0.16 72 Methionine 0.30 Lysine 0.20 Ethoxyguin (Antioxidant) 10 ppm Beclothiamine (Anticoccidial agent) 100 ppm Clopidol (Anticoccidial agent) 100 ppm Minerals (in 1 Kg. of feed) CaCO 8.0 g CaHPO .2H O 6.0 g NaCl 5.0 g KHZPO4 2.0 g MnSO 55 mg MgSO, 500 mg Kl 0.53 mg FeC.H O-, H O mg CuSO .5H O 4 mg 5ZnO.2CO .4H O 50 mg CoC|,.6H,0 0.30 mg Other vitamins (in 1 Kg. of feed) Vitamin B1 2.5 mg Vitamin B 5.5 mg Ca pantothenate 9.3 mg Niacin 37.0 mg 2 Vitamin B, 6.7 mg Biotin 0.09 mg Choline chloride 1000 mg lnositol 500 mg Folic acid 0.55 mg Vitamin K, 0.53 mg Vitamin B 0.01 mg 3. concentration of pholipomycin to be incorporated: 2.5 ppm (based upon activity) of pholipomycin with a purity of 58.3% was incorporated into the feed. A control without any pholipomycin was separately prepared. a

4. Test method: Baby chickens were investigated about health condition and healthy chickens were weighed. Chickens were divided into several test groups without any difference about average body weight and continuously fed with broiler starter ration for one month. Each group consisted of 30 chickens, and each chicken was freely fed with the feed and drinkable water. Body weight of the chicken was measured every week and the feed intake was measured whenever'a new feed was supplied.

Final body weight Initial body weight Total feed ingestion Total body weight Body weight gain (g.)

Feed conversion ratio Test results are summarized in Table 9.

Table 9 Pholipomycin Control group Average initial body weight (g.) 39.0 :L 2.4* 39.1 i 2.6* Average body weight gain (g.) 560.6 x 67.2* 529.4 i 62.5 Feed conversion ratio 1.77 1.92

* Standard deviation As is apparent from the Table 9, a body weight gain effect is observed with improved feed conversion ratio in the pholipomycin group, as compared with the control.

EXAMPLE 4 Effect on growth of broilers (battery test) Following the substantially same procedures and Number of chickens surviving at the final wei hin after initial wei hin Number of chickens initially used 100 Table l l Pholipomycin Control group Average initial body weight (g.) 41.0 40.9

Average body weight gain (g.) 1989i269* 1896fl33 Feed conversion ratio 2.32 2.68

Viability 99 94 Standard deviation As is apparent from the Table 11, not only improvement in body weight gain and feed conversion rate is accomplished but also rate of raising is highly improved.

EXAMPLE 6 Effect on growth of pigs (Field test) First cross pigs (Hump X Rand) of 32 days old after birth were divided into two groups (Pholipomycin group and control) so that pigs in each group may have approximately equal average weights and numbers.

Each group consisted of eight pigs. Dosage (ppm) of pholipomycin are as follows:

conditons as in the above Example except that crate fattening was effected, the test results in Table 10 were Latter term with synthetic Feed for pig obtained. The crate fattening was effected by placing chicks in a brooder provided with an electrically heated Control 0 0 wire floor and continuously feeding for 4 weeks. 5 2

Table 10 Pholipomycin- Control group Average initial body weight (g.) 37.6 i 1.7* 37.5 1- 2.1* Average body weight gain (g.) 490.6 i 665* 460.2 x 565* Feed conversion ratio 1.61 1.65

* Standard deviation EXAMPLE 5 The feed employedwas commercially available one Effect on growth of broilers (Field test) 1. Chickens: Chickens of Studler species from France were employed, each group consisting of 100 chickens without any sexing. After hatching, individul chicken with wing band was weighed.

2. Feeds: The rations used were commercially available ones (manufactured by Sumitomo Shiryo K.l(., Japan), which contain no growth promoting agents and antibiotic substances.

3. Concentration of pholipomycin to be incorporated: 2.5 ppm (based upon activity) of pholipomycin with a purity of was incorporated into the feed. A control without any pholipomycin was separately prepared.

4. Test method: Chickens were fed in an umbrellatyped brooder capable of being heated with propane gas until 2 weeks old and continuously until 8 weeks old. The feed and drinkable water were freely supplied and both foul pox vaccine and Newcastle disease vaccine were inoculated during the test period, as commonly made.

5. Evaluation and Test results: Evaluation followed that in the above Example 3. The results are summarized in Table 11 wherein viability (76) means without any growth promoting agent and antibiotic substance.

body weight of the pig was weighed at a fixed time every 15 days and the feed intake was similarly mea- 50 sured.

Results:

Test results are summarized as follows:

1. Change in average body weight 3. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio Synthetic milk period Fattening (First period) Intake Feed Conv. Intake Feed Conv.

Control ll.l 2.8 23.6 3.2 Pholipomycin-Group l2.l 2.6 25.3 2.9

H: 7.14 N: 4.48 P: 2.33 having an empirical formula C 65 H 1" N 6 0 a molecular weight of 5100 by gell filtration, a melting point of 250C. (with decomposition), a specific rotation in water of +6L0 at 20C, ultraviolet absorption spectrum maxima at 257 u(H O), 245 p. (0.1 N HCl) and 258 p. (0.1N NaOl-l) 1 4,. 142 (H2O),93 (0.1N HCl) and 144 (0.1N

HCl), a pka of 4.37,'the folllowing distinguishable bands in an infra-red absorption spectrum (in KBr) of 3500, 2980, 1740, 1650, 1565, 1410, 1390, 1340, 12.40, 1080, 1050, 975, 950, 890,860, 825,

805, 760, 670 cm; being easily soluble in water, soluble in methanol and n-butanol, sparingly soluble in acetone, chloroform and ether; positive for Tollens reaction, false positive for Elson-Morgan reaction, negative for ninhydrin, Benedict, biuret, Bial, ferric chloride and anthrone reactions and stable at pH 4-10; and having Rf values of 0.74 and 0.25 in cellulose and silica gel thin-layer chromatographies in n-propanol-ZNNl-LOH (7:3).

2. A process for the production of an antibiotic substance pholipomycin as defined in claim 1, which comprises cultivating Streptomyces lividoclavatus strain No. 3176, NRRL 8022, in a nutrient medium at a temperature of from 25C to 30C and at pH of from 5.0 to 9.0 for a period of from 96 to 240 hours and recovering the antibiotic substance from the cultured broth.

3. The process according to claim 2 wherein said cultivation is effected under aerobic condition.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE CERTIFICATE OF CURREUHUN PATENT NO. 3,912,811

DATED October 14, 1975 INVENTOR(S) MAMORU ARAI et al It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, line 34: replace "S 2.33%" with Column 11, line 5: replace "yeild" with yield Column 5, line 15, "celluloose" should read cellulose Column 15, line 6, "Final body weight" with Final body weight- Signed and gealed this fourth Day of May 1976 [SEAL] A ttes t:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer (ummissi'umr nflarir'urs and Trademarks 

1. AN ANTRIBIOTIC SUBSTANCE NAMED PHOLIPOMYCIN OF AN ACIDIC WHITE POWDER IN A PURE FORM, CONTAINING THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS IN THE FOLLOWING PROPERTION C: 50.15 %, H: 7.14%, N: 4.48%, P:2.33%, HAVING AN EMPIRICAL FORMULA C50-65 H85111 N5-6 O25-35P, A MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF 5100 BY GELL FILTRATION A MELTING POINT OF 250*C (WITH DECOMPOSITION), A SPECIFIC ROTATION IN WATER OF +6.0. AT 20*C ULTRAVIOLET ABSORPTION SPECTRUM MAXIMA AT 257 U (H2O), 245U, (0.1 N HC1) AND 258 U (0.1N NAOH) A1CM1%=142 (H2O), 93 (0.1 N HC1) AND 144 (0.1N HC1, A PKA OF 4.37, THE FOLLOWING DISTINGUISHABLE BANDS IN AN INFRA-RED ABSORPTION SPECTRUM (IN KBR) OR 3500, 2980, 17540, 1650, 1565, 1410, 1390, 1340, 1240, 1080, 1050, 975, 950, 890, 860, 825, 805, 760, 670 CM-1, BEING EASILY SOLUBLE IN WATER, SOLUBLE IN METHANOL AND N-BUTANOL, SPARINGLY SOLUBLE IN ACETONE, CHLOROFORM AND ETHER, POSITIVE FOR TOLLENS REACTION, FALSE POSITIVE FOR ELSON-MORGAN REACTION, NEGATIVE FOR NINHYDRIN, BENEDICT, BIURET, BIAL, FERRIC CHLORIDE AND ANTHRONE REACTIONS AND STABLE AT PH 4-10, AND HAVING RF VALUES OF 0.74 AND 0.25 IN CELLULOSE AND SILICA GEL THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHICS IN N-PROPANOL22NNH4OH (7:3).
 2. A process for the production of an antibiotic substance pholipomycin as defined in claim 1, which comprises cultivating Streptomyces lividoclavatus strain No. 3176, NRRL 8022, in a nutrient medium at a temperature of from 25*C to 30*C and at pH of from 5.0 to 9.0 for a period of from 96 to 240 hours and recovering the antibiotic substance from the cultured broth.
 3. The process according to claim 2 wherein said cultivation is effected under aerobic condition. 